New chief executive for Local Trust

Matt Leach, HACT, joins Local Trust

The board of Local Trust has appointed Matt Leach as its new chief executive, a role he will take up in early 2017.

Matt is currently CEO of HACT, the social housing sector’s ideas and innovation agency. In his new post he will lead on the delivery of Big Local and Local Trust’s collaborative exploration into the future of community development in the UK.

Kevin Sugrue, chair of the Local Trust board said:

“We are delighted to welcome Matt to Local Trust. He arrives at a key time as interest in resident-led solutions are gaining momentum on most policy makers’ agendas, and communities are seeking to harness local talent, connections and creativity to address local challenges. Building on the strong legacy left by our outgoing chief executive, Debbie Ladds, Matt brings a track record of strategic thinking and building on organisational strengths, helping small-scale charities have large-scale impacts. His innovative and forthright ideas of how Local Trust can contribute to a positive and exciting future for community development are exactly what is needed right now.”

Matt Leach said:

“Local Trust is already making a real and lasting difference to the communities it works with and it can go even further. With residents making decisions, allocating funds, forging alliances and building local capacity there is already evidence to suggest the impacts of Big Local will be sustained over the long term. The opportunity to share that way of working with a broader audience – government, local authorities, funders, public and private sector – could see Local Trust extend its approach, and reach even more people who want to make their areas even better places to live.”

A press release is available here.